Fight for Sanity
by tsunade-senpai3
Summary: Hikaru thought she was prepared for everything before she entered the kendo club: bruises, sparring matches, losing, and the like. But are her heart and mind prepared as well for the roller coaster ride her emotions are about to take? An HLE fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Fight for Sanity**

**Disclaimer : **Magic Knight Rayearth doesn't belong to me. It's owned by CLAMP and Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo Japan.

**Note from the Author:** This is an H/L/E fic. Who will be with who? You're bound to know after a few chapters..I researched a bit about kendo and used it in this fic. As a humble writer, I welcome reviews, comments, questions and criticisms for this story. Please be gentle, as I'm merely testing my writing skill in this genre and I don't reply to people who are being hostile just for the knack of it.

**Chapter 1 :)**

**Hikaru POV**

8:00 am. I glared at my useless shit of a cell phone. Heck, I set the alarm at 6:30am!! Why the hell haven't I heard so much of a "beep-beep" sound? It's either I unconsciously knocked it off my lamp desk _again_, or I've been too immersed into what my brothers would call the sleep of death. I swear… I'm going to buy a real alarm clock soon and not let myself be fooled with the features promised by my "outstanding" cell phone. And to think, this is my first day as a transfer student in Sefiro High –the most prestigious international school in the country. I've been going all gaga over entering it, but I guess my zeal isn't enough to wake me up on time for the first-day orientation. Last night, my overexcitement kept me from sleeping at my usual time and put me into an endless fit of tossing and turning around in my futon.

After I got dressed in my dreadful navy blue "sailor" uniform, I literally flew from my room to the sala. Masaru laughed as I nearly tripped on my last step, while Kakeru, who had been busy spreading peanut butter into a sandwich, looked up from his sitting position and approached me, all the while holding some blue plastic.

"Oi! How could you be late in your first day? I thought you went to bed around 9pm?"

"Heh, she must've been too excited to actually sleep." Masaru teased from his position in the coffee table.

"I was not. Blame my stupid cell phone!" I retorted. "I didn't even hear the alarm. Isn't it supposed to go off like crazy so that I'd go deaf and wake up? And why haven't you woken me up like I told you?"

"My dear imouto. It's not my fault that you can't feel me shaking you in the shoulders for what seems like hours just to wake you. Sometimes, you just sleep like the dead. Here, take this" Masaru grabbed the blue zipped plastic bag from Kakeru and stuffed it into my knapsack. On closer inspection, one could see that the plastic contained two peanut butter sandwiches.

"Mou! You should've thrown me a pail of water to wake me up. Oh well. Arigatou nii-san! See yah later!" I kissed them on the cheek, waved and hurried to the door to wear my roller blades.

I ran at top speed in the direction of the room indicated in my enrollment form. In my rush, I bumped into some tall guy wearing black along the corridor, and me, being a very little and very skinny person, bounced backwards from the impact of the collision. The guy saved me from falling by catching my arm.

"Are you hurt?" A deep voice asked.

"O-o-oh! No, not at all. S-sorry! I'm really in a hurry…" I muttered apologetically and bowed down. Since I was still running late, I didn't really get to look at his face, and only caught a glimpse of his Japanese features –black slanting eyes, short black hair, lean muscles and very pale skin. He was quite good-looking. He struck me as some Japanese soccer or track and field jock, due to his large frame. In my nervousness at his grip, I couldn't look him in the eye. I muttered a last 'sorry!' and sped off again to the room at the end hall.

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"Oi Lantis! You shouldn't really go off blocking little girls along the hallway. Your size takes up all the space." A guy with spiky brown hair nudged the guy clad in black with an elbow.

"Geo. Lantis' height hardly makes him horizontally huge. You're nearly as tall, anyway. _You_ tend to block off hallways too. Although unlike you, he tends to also scare off girls in the hallway by grabbing their _wrists." _The guy with platinum hair laughed while scratching his head. Lantis only looked at them with a straight face. He was not going to give in to the provocation.

"Yeah, you made her pretty nervous. At least she didn't swoon at being caught by the great _ice hunk._" Geo choked out laughing. "Are you hurt? Saying that in your deep baritone voice will probably send all the girls flying. Oh, and I wonder where Miss Primera is now?"

Lantis only glared at him. "Whatever."

"Is she new?" Eagle asked, referring to the braided red haired girl. "I don't reckon seeing her before."

"Most likely. Our school population is so small, it's hard to miss out a person as short as her. Although I must say, she was rather pretty cute for a redhead." Geo stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I'd have to agree with that. Say, are you're tastes shifting, Geo? Sophisticated classy girls were more your type."

"Hey hey. I only said she was cute. I'm not really doting on her like _some guy_ here. " The brown-haired guy retorted.

"Whatever." Lantis repeated as in a broken plaque, not sure whether to give a death glare or just make a comeback at him later on when they spar. Nothing he'll say will make his friends back down from their teasing.

Geo slapped his head. "Sheesh Lantis, you're such a bore. You gotta get yourself a girl, or you'll die from the boredom." Eagle tried to suppress a chuckle. "She was running in the direction of our classroom. And here I thought, she belonged to a lower year. Shouldn't we hurry to the classroom as well?" he asked.

"Nah, it's all right. We have an excuse, being called by Coach Lafarga and all." Lantis replied. The three walked in silence to the same room Hikaru entered although they went in a considerably slower pace.

When the three boys entered, Hikaru had already finished with the formal introductions. This time, it was the teacher, Ms. Presea who greeted Lantis, Eagle and Geo. Applause and hooting (like "Way to go, Kendo Club!") from the class was soon heard.

"So you've returned Mr. Kailu, Mr. Vision and Mr. Metro. How was the awarding ceremony for the kendo prelim yesterday? You've done well to bring back the school's old prestige in kendo"

"Oh yeah, well. " Eagle smiled modestly.

"Of course sensei! We worked our butts off for that," Geo proudly stated.

"Hmm. Of course, but that doesn't excuse you guys from attending my class. I guess it's okay if I'm a little lenient with you now, since you've tired yourselves out during practice and during the actual tournament." Ms. Presea declared in front of the class. "Well, since you've missed out on our discussion earlier, I'll introduce you to your new classmate, Ms. Hikaru Shidou. Class, please acquaint yourselves with her so that she doesn't feel left out. Ms. Ryuuzaki, Ms. Hououji, please be kind as to help her adjust to this school. She will be sitting beside the two of you."

"Okay!" A blue haired girl nodded.

"Hai, Presea-sensei." A blonde haired girl bowed.

Hikaru's eyes widened when she saw the girls Presea-sensei was referring to. Their faces looked like they've been ripped off the Vogue magazine!

The three boys looked curiously at the girl. She seemed very young to be in their class. Then again, perhaps it's just in the gene. Eagle tilted his head to the side and smiled, when he saw her gape at Umi and Fuu. When Hikaru finally looked at the three guys, her expression grew serious and mildly zealous: _They're into kendo! Sugoii.. _She thought. Lantis only looked on with a disinterested expression, remembering about the annoying taunts he received from Geo and Eagle earlier.

"Please take your seats now, so that we can proceed to the lecture proper. Since the first semester in the English curriculum is dedicated to the understanding of Shakespeare's works, we will be reading any of the four tragedies Shakespeare is greatly known for: Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello any Romeo and Juliet. Since his language is different from the English we are accustomed to, we will first be discussing the author's wordplay…"

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Hikaru sighed in relief when she heard the bell rang. The blue-haired girl who Presea-sensei referred to as Ms. Ryuuzaki, rose up from her chair. She flipped her hair in an elegant way, sat on the side of her desk, and faced Hikaru with a smile. "Hi Hikaru! I didn't get the chance to talk you during class. But I'm Umi."

"And I'm Hououji Fuu, Hikaru-san" the blond haired girl smiled as she stood beside Umi. "I was just wondering…How old exactly are you?"

"Ah, haha." Hikaru laughed nervously, knowing where the conversation was heading. " I just turned 17 years old this year!"

The two girls looked at her with wide eyes. "You've got to be kidding me! But you're so short!!!" Umi practically screamed.

"No offense, Hikaru-san. But you don't look a day older than fourteen. I mean every Asian looks younger than their age, but you really..."

Hikaru didn't really know how to react and resorted to pouting instead.

"Oops, sorry! It's just so adorable that you look so young. I am so adopting you as my little sister. You're so cute!!" Umi gushed.

"Ehh!" Hikaru sweat dropped. Hikaru found it strange that she was being complimented as cute when the two of them were downright gorgeous, they could be taken as models for the runway. _The pits of being small and skinny…_ "You sound like my brothers!"

"Really you've got brothers, Hikaru-san? Well, you never really struck me as someone who can be the oldest sibling." Fuu smiled

"So, have you got any club in mind? Our school gives us two days to join any organization of our liking. Since you came in late, I guess you have to rush your forms and do auditions today or tomorrow. That is, if you're planning to join the Theater Club. Or join any sports club. That's why we're here to tour you around. You know, orient you with library stuff, canteen stuff and all." Umi offered.

"Wow, that would be really great! I mean, I really didn't think I'd be able to coax anybody to help me around. This is really a cool school." Hikaru said excitedly.

Umi laughed. "Any club in mind? Deadline for application forms will be tomorrow you know. You ought to have your picture taken and stuff."

"I want to join the Kendo Club!" Hikaru exclaimed without hesitation. "Actually my brothers and I take care of a dojo and I practice kendo there with nii-san's students. I've been hoping to meet new opponents to improve my skills"

Fuu frowned slightly. "Really? Are you sure you want to join there? I hear that the club's nearly all-male. The club's really all-male to be exact. They have quite a reputation."

"Yeah. You could say that. It's all testosterone. You saw Lantis, Eagle and Geo earlier right?" Hikaru nodded. She remembered seeing the tall guy who she bumped into earlier, a handsome boy who looked like he was Caucasian, and a tall muscled guy who had laughing brown eyes and spiky brown hair. Umi went on. "Well, I just hope they hold back a little bit when they know a girl's joining them. A lot of them visits the clinic frequently, you know."

"Oh no." Hikaru looked worried. "I hope they don't hold back at all. Otherwise, I'll never have the chance to really improve my skills. I want to surprise my brothers. I'm used to fighting males anyway, so I guess I can adapt. Bruises aren't new to me." She held up her arm with a closed fist and smiled.

"Well, if that's what you really think. But don't you go saying we didn't warn you. They're really brutal. In the real sense of the word."

"Are you sure you aren't saying that because you always had to tend to Clef's wounds after practice?" Fuu asked teasing.

"Are you sure Ferio isn't hiding his wounds with concealer makeup?!" Umi said offensively.

"Umi-san, you can be funny sometimes. I think you're notion of the kendo club is overrated. I mean, Clef and Ferio aren't novices after all. If you can only see them, they're like as great as their superiors." Fuu laughed.

"I would appreciate it if he doesn't come late to our dates looking like he got thrown into the WWF. Hikaru, I must warn you. You better be careful. "

"I'm not really afraid." Hikaru replied truthfully. _There's no reason to be scared. I've done this a lot of times._ She thought excitedly, although unaware of what looms ahead.

---In the kendo dojo of the school-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi. I just wanted to ask for an application form." Hikaru managed to blurt out without stuttering when she approached the guy with spiky mousy brown hair. He was sitting by the floor near the door, watching over the sparring of the other kendo players. Eagle and Lantis could be seen talking in the corner, near the rack of shinai.

"Oh hey, it's you, missy! Didn't think you'd join the kendo club. I mean with your kind of built, are you sure you can stand this room full of lean muscled men?" He joked. He smiled at Umi and Fuu when he saw them come behind Hikaru.

"If you please, I can show you in a demonstration that I'm more than fit to join." She answered confidently.

"Well, that's the spirit!" Geo laughed. He called over Eagle and Lantis. "Oi, you two. There's a new applicant. Geez, what the heck are you two talking about there? Skill testing is a job of the captain and vice captain you know."

Lantis looked up to see Hikaru, Umi, Fuu and Geo, and nodded to Eagle. "We can deal with the problem later," Lantis said to his friend Eagle in a low voice. He stood up from his sitting position, with Eagle following behind him.

"All right, let me introduce you to the captain of the club: Kailu Lantis, and his vice, Eagle Vision. As I'm sure you're aware, we have to test your skills to make sure that you have what it gets to join Kendo. Filling in the application form would come later, if you pass the test, that is. As a part of our regulation, you'd have to spar with anyone of our club heads." Geo faced the two males. "Now, who will be her sparring partner?" Umi and Fuu looked on with worried faces. This was bound to get bloody.

"Allow me." The platinum-haired guy approached Hikaru with a smile. "After all, the captain should always be the last guy a person has to fight in a face-off. Ojo-san, I hope you do not object to me sparring with you."

"Uh no, I'm cool." Hikaru said in her serious voice although she was actually a bit unnerved by his smile and politeness. To see the guy smiling like that, with perfect confidence in his abilities, made her doubt her own skills.

"Shidou, Hikaru, isn't it? Alright, let's see your kendo. The changing room is over there. We'll start after you get ready." Lantis spoke up and stepped back to where Geo was to watch the two fight.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------After Hikaru donned her mask and bogu (armor), she took out a shinai from a rack near the door and approached Eagle.

Lantis let his hand drop to signal the start of the match. "Don't hold back. Hajime! (start)"

Umi and Fuu stood by the door and cheered Hikaru on as she took the son-kyo position after taking kamae. Eagle held his shinai over his shoulder, waiting for the girl to move from her position. Her knees were bent in an attacking position, and her right hand was placed over the hilt of her wooden sword. In a flash, Hikaru attacked Eagle head-on with a swishing attack from below. Soon, both shinai resonated from the impact of fight. When Hikaru finally managed to release her weapon from the shinai lock, she unleashed a series of attacks, all of which were parried by her opponent with perfect ease.

"I must say you have some skills, ojo-san." Eagle suddenly said with a slight grin when their wooden swords were locked in a match of strength. He looked at her dead-serious eyes, and his mouth curved upwards. Standing a few inches away from her and looking at her face over their entwined swords, he held the sword lock for a few seconds. Hikaru could only exclaim, "s-so strong!" in her struggle to push him away with her sword. After what seems to have been years, the two disengaged their swords and backed away from each other to catch their breaths.

Hikaru clenched her fist. Her opponent was as good as her brother. Heck, she'd be well damned lucky if her wrists won't hurt when she goes home after this match. In her determination to end the match quickly, she deprived herself of a few more seconds of her usual recovery time and launched into what one may call a two-edged attack. Eagle readied himself, and was able to ward off the first attack. Just when he was about to attack the girl from the side though, her bokken nearly connected with his hand. It was too fast; he hardly expected such a move from the little missy. But as in reflex and as a result of years of hard training, he raised his shinai automatically to parry the attack and he hit his opponent by the right side of the torso. Hikaru fell back with the strength of the hit, while Eagle only fell back a few steps and wiped the sweat dripping from his chin with the back of his hand. "Point! Do (torso)."

"H-Hikaru!" and "Hikaru-san!" were heard from the side, as Umi and Fuu rushed to check on the fallen Hikaru. The girl sat up, holding her stomach.

"That's quite enough" Lantis' voice suddenly thundered. He walked to the two of them and offered his hand to the girl. "Shidou-san, that was great. I can see that this isn't your first time in kendo, taking on an opponent such as Eagle. We'll be happy to have you as a member of the club"

Thanks to the pain in her torso, Hikaru could only look up to him with eyes misty from pain. She took his outstretched hand. "A-arigatou, Lantis-senpai but I lost, didn't I?"

"The match was lost, but anyone can see the strength you put behind your attack." Lantis replied.

"Oh my god. You really hit her, a girl! " Umi nearly screamed at Eagle.

Eagle recovered from his position and walked up to Hikaru with a real apologetic face. "I'm sorry I became a little bit rough with you, miss. I swear it was reflex when I hit you in the torso. You surprised me and I kind of lost it at the heat of the moment. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm okay. I was just surprised at the hit too" Hikaru flashed a smile, hiding her pain. "Sorry too.."

Eagle waved it off with "no problem." But he added, "You were aiming for a kote (hand hit)." Geo laughed and wrapped one heavy arm around the vice captain's shoulder. "Man, I should have brought my video phone with me. I didn't think I'd live to see the day that you lose your damn girly face."

"Haha, Geo. Very funny. I'm sure you won't say that the next time we go into a spar." His friend replied in a dry voice. He glanced at Hikaru once more, and smiled. "Ojo-san, you shouldn't really mind him. Is it okay if I call you Hikaru-chan, though? Shidou-san seems too formal."

"A-ano…I wouldn't really mind.." Hikaru stammered in reply, blushing as she noted the change from 'ojo-san' to 'Hikaru-chan.'

"Well then that settles it. You can call me Eagle from now on. I guess that would apply for Lantis and Geo as well."

"O-okay." Hikaru shyly glanced at Lantis, whose face was still unreadable as ever. She wondered how he was as a captain, if Eagle, his vice, was this good. _I bet I'd get more than just torso pain._ Suddenly, she flinched and nearly squeaked when she felt him tap her shoulder with his right hand. "You got hit in the trunk. You better get that checked in the clinic."

"O-okay." Hikaru found herself stuttering.

"I'll bring her." Eagle volunteered. "After all, it's my fault you got hit and I really feel bad about it. I hope there won't be any bruises in the morning. Is that okay, Fuu-san and Umi-san?" Fuu nodded with an anxious face, but Umi let out an angry "Alright. That's the least you can do for hitting her."

"I promise to take care of her." Eagle said in an attempt to relieve Umi's anger. However, he knew from three years of being her classmate that his apology fell to deaf ears because she'd always had a thing against the kendo club. The bias wasn't really shared by her fellow club mates in the fencing club. It was really just due to her predilection for elegance and style, that she found kendoists rough and brutal. Or maybe because it had to do with her boyfriend Clef, too. The blue-haired girl flipped her hair in annoyance. _Stupid, violent kendoists. _Eagle merely sighed.

"Hey, you better not harass her on the way to the clinic, Eagle." Geo teased.

"What makes you think I'd do that, Geo? Don't mind him, Hikaru-chan. I don't bite." He replied, pretending to be shocked at such incrimination.

"I'm sure." Geo laughed on.

"Is that okay, taisho?" Eagle turned to face Lantis, who seemed to look on in silence.

"It's best you do" was his only reply, wanting to hit Eagle in the head because he knew his friend was trying to tease him again by asking for permission when there wasn't any need. "But you better return immediately. We still have things to take care of."

"Hai, hai captain" Eagle exclaimed happily, linking his arms with Hikaru's elbow. "Hikaru-chan, we ought to go now." Hikaru found herself saying "O-okay" for the third time and wanted to hit herself badly for her lack of vocabulary.

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It was a short walk to the clinic, and Hikaru found herself wondering if there really was any need for Eagle to accompany her. A beautiful golden-haired lady in white medical gown came into view when Eagle opened the door.

"Goodness, this isn't a sparring accident in the kendo club again, I hope?"

"I'm sorry to say but it is, doctor Emi (short for Emeraude). I was her opponent when we went to test her skills as an applicant to our club. " Eagle replied politely.

"Oh dear. Please lie down, miss."

Hikaru did so, and found herself staring at the pretty doctor. _Why are all the people in this school divinely beautiful? Except for me  
, of course. Why am I so plain?. _Hikaru thought.

"What a nasty looking bruise." Emeraude almost said to herself in a whisper. She turned to Eagle with a frown. "Eagle! I can't believe this even happened! Least of all to a girl. Did you have to get rough just to test your applicants? I really ought to talk to the student affairs adviser. He's just too lax with his rules sometimes and I can't have my clinic getting so many cases from the kendo club."

"Zagato-sensei has no control over things like that. The kendo club is really about fighting after all. It's not that we can lighten our strokes or hold back during competitions or fights, mam."

"I'm sure. But still, I sincerely wish that students, especially kendo club members, can get by high school and graduate from it _unscathed_."

"That would be troublesome to do for our club, doc."

"That's the problem. I guess I'd just talk to him to at least exclude girls in kendo club membership."

"No, please!" Hikaru suddenly exclaimed. Emeraude looked at her with questioning eyes. "I uh come from a family that practices kendo, so things like these aren't really foreign to me."

"I see. That explains your interest in the club. Next time, though, I don't want to see you hurt like this."

"Uh..believe me, it was never my intention to hurt her" Eagle butted in.

Hikaru lay down in bed for what seemed to be an hour after Eagle left her. He had to go back and discuss something important with Lantis. She sighed. _So strong._ She thought with remorse. _Just as good as my brothers._ When Emeraude-san finally cleared her, she thanked the doctor and grabbed her duffel bag. It was time to go home.

--End first chapter--

Note: Weeh! The 1st chapter is finally finished, but I didn't like the way I wrote it that much since I usually go for subtlety. But hey! This is my first fan fic. If anyone knows of a good site where I can read H/L/E, H/E, or H/L fics, please tell me:D I love reading them, although they're extremely rare.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth belongs to CLAMP. This fic is merely a product and figment of my imagination so please bear with me if I have mistakes in writing or facts whatsoever.

**Chapter 2: Stolen Glance**

Fuu looked up the bulletin board and sighed. Her name was written on the grade list all right, but she saw to her dismay that she only ranked second in the list. _Damn. The guy's too bright._ She thought, her mind lingering around the idea of totally erasing her social life and concentrating in her studies. She wasn't really very competitive and grade-conscious by nature, but she found it hard to suppress the gnawing feeling of being beaten by a guy in almost every single subject. Has she been neglecting her studies, now that she's in a serious relationship with Ferio? Nah. She knew all too well that she gives her best in everything that she does. _So why doesn't her name surface back to the top?_ She asked herself mentally as she walked down the corridor. Her internal debate was brought to a cease when a lean-muscled arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"You'd go crazy, worrying like that." A male voice whispered to her ear.

"Ferio!" Fuu exclaimed, obviously startled out of her wits. "You're always sneaking behind my back."

"Ah, that's the fun of it!" Ferio laughed, as he removed the paperbound books from her clasp and carried it with one arm. "Why do you look so gloomy? Did you get an A minus or something in literature?" He asked in a small attempt at humor and tugged at the end of her blond curls. "I saw the grade list for last year."

"No. It's nothing like getting a low general weighted average or something. I just…" Fuu mumbled, unsure of the right words to say to convey her meaning. She was sure her boyfriend would misunderstand, but she only had one intention: to prove at least once that she wasn't academically inferior to the "school heartthrob."

"…You just wonder why you're only the second highest in the batch, and some kendo jock is forever garnering first place since he came to this school?" Ferio smiled, knowing his words hit her right at the spot. Fuu nodded and then shook her head after several seconds.

"Yes and no. I mean, I'm very well aware of his superior IQ, but sometimes I can't help but get this feeling of wanting to challenge him even just once, to see if I can surpass my limits and reach his intellectual level."

"Ah, that's a noble goal." Ferio smiled. "But you forget that half of your time is spent on tutoring me in chemistry and geometry. You also balance your time for studies and your social life. Of course, the guy's like that too, but you. You're too much of a sneak and a genius to be inferior intellectually to anyone. It still eludes me, you know – the reason why a timid girl like you can manipulate a slacker into being a diligent and hardworking student. That takes a lot."

Fuu smiled. "Did I hear that right? Has the slacker really turned into a diligent and hardworking student? Ferio, I hope you're not just saying that to appease my anger for your last exam in algebra during the past quarter" Ferio scratched his head and protested: "Hey, it was really difficult! My brain can't take more than four pages of that stuff."

His girlfriend set her mouth in a straight line to keep her self from laughing. "Right. I believe you, but that means we have to work more on that for you to be able to rightfully boast of the model student title."

"Ah. Everything's so difficult with you," he complained as he proceeded to walk down the corridor.

"That's the way it's supposed to be" was his girlfriend's only reply, but the light spring in her voice didn't escape the ears of the green-haired boy. The image of Ferio scribbling amidst heaps and heaps of thick tomes made her spirit soar once again. She was reminded of why she had made all those past decisions, and she knew she'd been making the right choices.

**-scene change-**

"Damn! Eagle. Give me your brains, man!" Geo said with a frown as he looked down at the bulletin board. A few students were crowding around the list, but his height gave him the advantage of reading the list clearly and easily. Typed on the top of the list was the name _Eagle Vision, _followed by _Fuu Hououji, Clef Sol _and_ Lantis Kailu._

"Ah. Lantis should've scored the same if he wasn't so happy making a trip to dreamland during class," his friend said after a light chuckle. The two left Lantis in the library, since according to him, "he'd rather be left in peace to take a nap amidst rows and rows of book shelves in the library."

"That guy's really pissing me off. Is it possible that sleep is his secret weapon? How can he be fourth highest in rank when he just dozes off during class?!"

"Sometimes, I wonder too if he studies the lesson in advance. He exerts very little effort, but he excels in almost everything he sets his mind on. I bet he just needs something…or someone to wind him up." Eagle laughed. "Ah, look! Hououji-san did it again. It's really rare to see girls with quite a head on their shoulders."

Geo nodded. "Yeah, she's really smart. I heard she's tutoring that guy, Ferio. Maybe I ought to go to the tutorial center too to make sure someone winds me up." He put his hands in his pocket jeans while thinking.

"Sure. If you want to have an early funeral."

Geo's eyes widened. "Hey! I didn't mean she'd have to be my tutor! Besides, it's not like I'm no match for that guy. He still needs toughening up."

"I bet he'd put up quite a fight." Eagle said as he leaned back against the wall.

"Why you...Are you saying I'd lose to some newbie?!" Geo began, when he suddenly remembered Eagle's vicious side. He immediately switched to another topic to play safe. "But man, I wish Zazu was here. Why is his transfer taking so long? I sent him an email telling him that girls around here were drop-dead gorgeous." He smiled wickedly, all too aware of his young friend's love for girls…and quite oddly, booze.

Eagle smiled. "You wrote that to him? Then he'd be here sooner than you think."

**-scene change-**

His original intention was to go with his friends, Geo and Eagle, to check up on his GWA last year. But when he heard the high-pitched scream of Primera from afar, he retraced his steps in the corridor and left a vague message of wanting to be left in peace to his friends. He walked across the path between neatly aligned shelves of books, and contented himself with sitting hidden on the cushion chair at the end of the large room. When he sat and leaned on the cushion chair though, he felt his back hitting something hard –_a head_. Lantis moved forward in reflex, and turned his head to look at the unfortunate person his back may have _possibly_ crushed.

His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the redhead. _Shit! It's the new girl. Hikaru,_ if he remembered correctly.He swore at his stupidity. The redhead was so small and skinny, (or maybe, he was too absorbed in his own thoughts), that he didn't notice her sleeping at the adjacent chair. She was so immersed in her deep slumber that her head fell over to the backrest of his chair.

Lantis stood up, fearful that he woke her up with his tremendous weight, but when he noticed she didn't, he just stared at her, amazed at the tranquility with which she slept. The braid near the nape of her neck loosened up, thus revealing the long wavy tresses flowing down her back. When he first saw her, he thought she had short hair, thanks to the uneven cut, but seeing her now with her hair all disheveled proved his thoughts otherwise.

He swallowed what seemed like a lump in his throat. For a few minutes, he just stood still and gazed at her, a blank expression covering his face. Anyone who passed by the spot may have mistaken his serious look for something else, but his expression left no space for interpretation on what was really going through his head. When her head made a little movement to the right, he retreated from his observation and quickly walked away.

Umi tapped her foot impatiently at the entrance stairs of the school. Clef's tardiness rose to new heights ever since he took up the position of president of the Student Council. She knew no one in Sefiro International School was more apt for the position, but she couldn't help but pout her lips and rest her chin in her palms in despondence as she sat on a pebbled step. First, kendo. Now, it's his office duties. She knew she didn't have the right to remove him from his self-imposed obligations, but she was his 'friend' and somehow, the two gave off the impression that they were an "item," thanks to their closeness and the similarity of their background. They belonged to the old rich society, and had families which were deemed titans in the business industry. She liked to believe that there really was something deeper between them, but no formal exchange on their relationship had gone between the two yet. To everyone in this school, Umi and Clef were a couple, but in reality, they were just family friends. They showed their 'concern' for one another through occasional reminders and high-pitched reprimands (the latter, coming mostly from the blue-haired girl).

Umi twirled her hair several times and looked at the almost empty parking lot. Her friend Fuu had once said she was dense, but Umi knew she was only guarding her heart. After all, she was a realistic person, and she would never ever jump recklessly into something that was only a supposition. She wouldn't dare cause a ripple in the still pond.

When Clef finally came out of the meeting room, he saw Umi leaning her head by the post and fidgeting with her bag. He observed her for a while as the purple and orange hues of the sky lent an unearthly color to her face. The gentle rays of the setting sun shone through her royal features and to his surprise, he found it nice to look at her without the blaring lights of the runway and the deafening noise of an audience.

Hikaru stretched up her arms and yawned. Reading _Othello_ had put her to sleep. The girl knew that Shakespeare was a great playwright, but she doesn't really understand the need for perusing something that requires a lot of interpretation. If she had it her way, everything would be written in modern language and given a literal meaning, while the use of figurative language would be abolished, since it puts her mind under a lot of strain. She absolutely hates it when her brothers talk in riddles. She then made a mental note to buy the "New Folger Library" version of Othello later.

She rose from the chair and fixed her skirt, now full of folds and creases. She has to get out of the library soon or she'll be locked in by the janitor, who can now be seen placing the chairs above the tables. It's a good thing she didn't sleep through the closing time of the library. Otherwise, she'd be subjected to endless teasing by her brothers. Her sleepiness is really something.

When she got out of the library, a crowd was gathered near the bulletin board outside the Administration Office. She approached the crowd and listened into the general conversation. She wondered what the commotion was about, since her small stature did not permit her to see above her schoolmates' heads. The voice of a pixie-looking girl with light blue hair soon dominated the noise: "Lantis is SOOOOOOOOOOOO cool! Oh Lantis! How can someone be so handsome, intelligent and manly at the same time? Fourth place! Oh, he's a natural born genius!"

"Primera-san, won't you say the same for Eagle? It's obvious from the rankings that he's way smarter than Lantis. Totally hot and affable too!" A girl with pig tails exclaimed.

"For your information, Eagle is Lantis' bestfriend. It is in Lantis' nature to give way to his closest pal even for things like batch ranking! His exceptional kindness and predilection to shun the lime light makes me want to swoon!" Primera went on, looking as if she wanted to strangle the girl who spoke up.

Hikaru laughed. She didn't realize that the captain and vice-captain of her club were so popular that they had such a huge following. She can just imagine the not so far-fetched possibility of catfights among the hardcore fans. Her brothers had avid female supporters themselves and she is reminded of the time when classmates in her old school would often nag her for information about Satoru, Masaru and Kakeru. She would often just yield to their requests because of weariness.

When the crowd around the board finally thinned out, she saw the list of grades and rankings dated the year before. Her eyes grew huge in surprise. _Sugoi! Fuu-san, Eagle-senpai and Lantis-senpai belong to the cream of the crop! _It was a good thing she entered this school only recently because she doesn't exactly find the idea of her name being listed on the lower part of the roll as thrilling. She was pretty good in Biology and the sciences, but not too much in subjects like English and heavy math. If she was to stay in the same footing as her newly found friends, she'd have to work extra hard –in her studies, in kendo, and in her relationships with her classmates as a whole. Of course, the last thing she'd want is to be singled out by people and hated by the general mob.

**--Fin Chapter 2--**

Note by the author: As much as I hate to disappoint you dear readers, I'm truly sorry to say that I'm not into writing threesomes. Yes, there will be a love triangle (H/L/E, you all know that), but it will be a bit complicated (I think).


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth belongs to CLAMP. This fic is merely a product and figment of my imagination so please bear with me if I have mistakes in writing or facts whatsoever.

**Chapter 3: **

Fatigue from her daily kendo session finally took its toll on Hikaru's body. After her sparring matches with Clef and Ferio on her second day, her wrists began to ache, and the pain that shot up resembled the sensation of muscles being twisted in full rotation. Yes, her opponents were that strong. She had to admit it, but the skill of Clef and Ferio were at par with her brothers. It's like the kendo matches increased in difficulty, as one progressed from Ferio to Clef to Geo to Eagle. Even Ascot, a Kendo club member who applied at the same time as her, improved significantly over the week.

During those rare times that she was paired up with the vice captain, she would often end her matches burning with anger or frustration. She always demands a rematch right after, since Eagle tends to let Hikaru assume the offensive the entire time while he patiently blocks all her attacks. He topples everything after a few minutes by attacking her in one swift and fluid motion. And then he would smile that signature grin of his, while Hikaru frowns at his smugness. Her predominant thought always was: _Is he mocking me?! I'll wipe that grin off his face,_ while his was always: _Ah, she's angry again…_

One session, when Hikaru was in an unusually feisty mood and after having been provoked by what seemed like a chuckle from Eagle, Hikaru put more force in one turning attack against her opponent. The vice captain got hit in his kote (wrist) but the shinai didn't fly off from his hands like she anticipated. Hikaru delivered repeated blows to his torso, which he parried quickly, but the last one, which looked like it was aimed for his head, reached the skin of his lower ribs. He was thrown off a little against the wall. Eagle recovered from his nearly sitting position and said with a smile: "Very nice. You aren't cornering me, are you Hikaru-chan?"

"Eagle-senpai, you're holding back." She said after a few seconds although she knew she was sugarcoating her complaint of "This is all a game to you!"

"I can't really say I'm holding back, Hikaru." Eagle replied seriously, forgetting to add the –chan to her name. "For me, the idea behind 'swordsmanship' is to bring down the enemy with the least possible number of movements…I don't want to hurt a girl like you any further, but I don't want to lose either." He regarded her for a few moments, knowing that she won't take it lightly if he said that his actions sprung from chivalry and a wish to avoid breaking 'dolls' like her. He underestimated her, it seemed, and if he continued to go on thinking she's just a girl, he knew he'd suffer a cruel fate. "But since you insist, let's get serious from this point on." He said it in a tone lower than the one he usually uses. "Rematch?" He finally offered.

"Yes." Hikaru nodded with her rare smile. "Please don't go easy on me." Eagle stared a few seconds at her, taken aback from the genuineness of her smile. Her face usually puts on a frown during kendo matches, but seeing her now with a quietly happy expression struck something inside him. At the word "Hajime!" from Geo (who suddenly popped out from nowhere), the two assumed a ready stance. Eagle's form swayed a little to the right, and when she let out a battle cry and flew forward to charge, he suddenly disappeared from her sight. Hikaru's shinai hit at empty space.

"Behind you." A voice whispered from her back, and much to her surprise, when she turned her head, Eagle's shinai was already pointing at the nape of her neck. "Shall we stop?" he asked in earnest.

_Damn. Damn!_ Hikaru thought, unconsciously stamping her foot out of utter dismay. Although no hit of his landed on her, she was vexed over the fact that she was not even given the slightest opportunity to scratch him. He got her in one move, _again_, and to think, she mumbled ill-humoredly, _that she even had the nerve to challenge him into giving everything in their fight_! Eagle couldn't help but smile. Whatever she does, she'll always be this "little doll" to him. Hikaru finally said, "Yes, rest please," in a resigned voice. She sat by the wall, watching the others duel and letting herself catch her breath.

She still hasn't had a match with the captain. Sometimes, she wondered if Lantis was the "final boss" she has to prepare for, since fights with Satoru-niisan tends to evoke the same feelings. If Eagle, her undefeatable opponent, was only vice-captain, then that meant Lantis' skill is nearly god-like. When she turned to see how the captain was faring, she saw him standing at the front of the dojo, watching over the progress of the members. Seeing that he wasn't looking her way, she allowed herself the liberty to stare at him and admire his features. _He was really handsome, but he's unusually quiet and withdrawn._ The tall form of Ascot approached Lantis, and Hikaru saw him nodding his head after a lengthy speech from Ascot.

"Tsk, tsk. You shouldn't let your feelings show so easily on your face, Hikaru-chan."

Hikaru looked up from her position, and saw Eagle smiling and crouching beside her by the wall. "E-Eagle-senpai! It's nothing like what you think."

He laughed. "Ah, but I wouldn't hold it against you if you have a little crush on the captain." He teased in a light voice.

"N-no! I just happened to look his way. I was watching everyone in this room."

"Right. But you decided to give him the gift of your attention with a little more time than the others, right?"

Hikaru winced. Eagle was being difficult again. "How long exactly have you been watching me?"

The blond hair thought for a moment. "Long enough to know that you've been staring at him for a little more than three minutes. Well, you just left me without a word after our match. How can I be sure if you're not contemplating over hanging yourself with a lynch rope? You looked pretty despondent after our fight."

"Oh." Hikaru blushed. "Yes, I was pretty smashed to know my skills haven't improved enough to win even one match against you."

"Well, I would hate it too if I lost against you."

Hikaru's eyebrows crossed. "Why? Because I'm a girl?" Her voice slightly rose in pitch, despite her wish to keep it leveled.

"No." He replied simply.

"What's the reason then?"

"No reason." He then smiled and poked her forehead with a finger. "Do you really need one for everything? Let it suffice for you to know that male pride has something to do with it."

Hikaru frowned even more. "But that's the same as saying you hate to lose to a girl."

"No…That's the same as saying I hate to lose against anyone."

Hikaru only stared at him, and saw his smiling face. She recognized for the first time the resolute look in his eyes and the confidence he always exuded despite his jovial personality.

**---scene change---**

The days quickly passed with most of Hikaru's time being spent on kendo, studies, and chatting away with her friends, Umi and Fuu. Sometimes she caught snippets of conversation between Eagle and Geo during kendo sessions, with Geo often commenting to his friend that Eagle looked liked "he was having fun." Hikaru also sometimes saw Primera hanging outside the dojo door and talking to Lantis with a pleading look. He would often just give a pert reply to her, with lines bordering around the message of "Ms. Primera, don't you have something better to do? You must be needed in the ballet club." Primera would just bow at him after her rejection, and offer a nicely wrapped package, which looked like it covered a bento box inside. Hikaru sometimes felt sorry for her, but she knew that if that pretty girl Primera didn't stand a chance at his affection, Lantis wouldn't be the gentleman that he usually is when he turns her down graciously and receives her lunch offer. Hikaru knew that he hated sweets -that's what she heard from the captain's closest pals, but he still accepts Primera's homemade pastries and offers them to Eagle and Geo instead.

At the end of the week, though, as the end of the last session neared, Lantis approached her silently and said, "I'll be your opponent." For the past week, he had allowed Hikaru to test her prowess against all the kendo club members. She had won most of the matches, and was able to make Eagle fight her more seriously. Though she was unable to defeat the vice captain, he knew it took skill to bring him out. It was time. Hikaru cringed inwardly and cursed her luck.

**--Fin Chap 3--**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**Magic Knight Rayearth is exclusively owned by CLAMP and originally published by Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. Please do not sue me!!!

**Chapter 4: Unexpected**

"I'll be your opponent." Lantis said to her, as though it was a commonplace occurrence for a _kendoka _of his caliber to challenge a girl like her. Hikaru bit her lip.

"Alright." All though she said it rather fearlessly, Hikaru knew that taking him up on his challenge caused her heart to pound like crazy. _Tachycardia,_ if she remembered the term in physiology correctly. She didn't expect this day to be the date of her "final battle." Somehow, she had programmed her brain to detect any signs of her impending doom, such as Lantis assessing Ascot's skill in a spar before he moved on to fight her, the other newbie. She should have known that having several matches with the vice captain is in itself an omen. She felt like a nervous wreck.

"Good luck, lil' missy!" Geo cheered as he sat down to watch the fight. "I would like to bet my money on you, but seeing that your opponent is Lantis, I can't. He'd throw me out of the club if he hears me bribing you to kick his ass. But do kick his ass, anyway." Lantis wanted to roll his eyes.

Eagle could be seen leaning by the wall beside him, with a small smile on his face. "Hikaru-chan, don't get yourself too worked up over this. It's just Lantis, you know." He chuckled, guessing at her expression behind the face mask and laughing at his brilliance in delivering double-edged messages.

Lantis gave him a side glance to guess what he meant by those words. Every word and action from Eagle was calculated, and from the tone of his voice, he seemed like he was teasing. _It's just Lantis, huh? Eagle, you dolt_. _You won't be saying that the next time we spar_. Unable to pinpoint at his friend's ulterior motives, Lantis proceeded to wear his _men_.

Hikaru scowled indignantly, wanting to wring Eagle's neck. There he was again, openly hinting that she has a crush on Lantis, and in front of the captain no less! She was going to kill him if she had the chance. Yes, she was having a fit, but not over the fact that she has Lantis, her 'supposed crush', for an opponent! After a few seconds, Hikaru finally opted to just ignore Eagle's remark since she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of riling her up. She returned her focus on the match, which was inevitable like that fight between her and Satoru. _I will not go home looking like a disfigured corpse._ She said to herself as she eyed his shinai warily.

"Okay kids, let's get this over with. _Hajime_!" Geo spoke out.

Soon the loud sound of _kiai_ can be heard outside of the dojo.

**-scene change-**

That must have been the longest battle of her life as a _kendoka_, Hikaru thought on wearily as she changed out of her _bogu_ and into her school uniform after the match. Lantis, like Eagle, let her be the more aggressive one between them in the fight. Instead of the intimidating feeling Eagle gave however, the guy seemed liked he was concentrated on reading and predicting her every move. He parried each and every attack. All throughout the fight, she couldn't help but feel like he was measuring her skills, waiting for the moment she would get tired so that he could end her quickly. Sometimes, he would send a swift attack from an unexpected direction as a test of her defense. He would say words like, "Don't put your guard down. I can see an opening." and "Not fast enough." When he did attack her, it took all her strength to block them. It was easy to see from the length of his limbs the direction his attack was going to take, though. What Hikaru really had a problem with was the speed and strength with which he delivers his attacks. It was like lightning. Lantis scored a point when he sent an _o-shomen _her way. The second point was won brutally. He ended the _shiai_ with a _tsuki_.

**-scene change-**

Hikaru sighed heavily as she walked out of the changing room. She didn't even pose a challenge to him. She wondered when she would be able to at least score in those three-point matches with the captain and vice-captain. _Probably never. _Wanting to rid herself of her negative thoughts, she slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and looked around at the almost empty dojo. She was surprised to see Lantis standing patiently near the exit and looking as if he was waiting for someone. Hikaru approached him.

"Lantis-senpai."

Lantis nodded his head in acknowledgement of her greeting. "A word with you please, if it's okay, Hikaru-san."

"I, uh. Yes, what is it, captain?"

"Please don't let it discourage you –the outcomes of these matches. I noticed that you weren't in high spirits, lately."

"Oh, that! Um, I acknowledge the fact of how experiencing losses one after another is such a huge downer, but it's really not enough to put me in a perpetual state of depression. I'm a pretty resilient person, don't worry!" Hikaru said cheerfully, raising a closed fist to demonstrate what she just said.

"That's good to hear. I came to talk to you, though, to say that during the last match, it was my height that had put you in a disadvantage.

"What do you mean, Lantis-senpai?" Hikaru frowned.

Oh no. He was the _last person in the world_ she could think of who would make fun of her _height._ But he did say height, right? And he came to talk to her about IT? She didn't like where this conversation was heading.At all. "Are you saying that I lost to you, just because you're taller?!"

She wondered if she got hit too much on the head to suffer a concussion. She was certain she was already on the brink of insanity to hear such things from a man with a very grave expression.

"I wouldn't really put it that way." Lantis said, seeing her face gradually turn red from utter indignation. "What I meant was that your stature limited your movements to thrusts like the _do_ and _kote_. I knew all along that you would be unable to execute thrusts in the head, like osho-men, hidari-men and migi-men, because of this fact. It would be good if you can work on your jump to overcome this flaw."

"Oh, I see" Hikaru blushed again. _Damn! Her height is making it difficult for her, even in kendo._ _Of course, Lantis knows how to gauge the ability of his opponents! He plans his movements based on this, and he knew back then that I'm restricted to making a thrust at his wrists and trunk. _And then it hit her. Was he trying to make her feel better? By informing her about her areas for improvement? She was certain that Lantis exceeded his customary limit of words for a conversation, and that it wasn't an everyday thing that he consoles depressed-looking people. Her blush turned to a deeper shade of red. "Thanks, Lantis-senpai. I really… appreciate the advice."

"It's my duty as captain to ensure the development of my fellow _kendoka_," he said without looking at her.

Hikaru smiled at his formality. That line sounded like it was stripped right off a medieval book.

"Thanks again, captain. Although…"

Lantis looked down at her, wondering what she was about to say. Hikaru made up her mind to utter the words, when she saw him look at her with a questioning expression.

"…Although I never expected you to say it to my face that I'm too short to reach your head or that you're too tall." Hikaru stated with a smile. Lantis' mouth curved upward. _This girl had spunk._

"I'll walk you to the gate." He said after a few seconds of silence.

**Definitions:**

Bogu: armour in kendo

Hidari men: an oblique cut at the left temple

Kiai: an explosive sound, a kind of controlled yell or shout intended to inspire courage and determination in the utterer and fear in the opponent, and to upset the concentration of the opponent as a cut or thrust is made.

Kote: a cut at the right wrist or lower forearm

Men: face mask

Migi- men: an oblique cut at the right temple

O-shomen: a vertical cut aimed at the center of the forehead

Shiai: match

Tsuki: a thrust at the throat


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I wish Rayearth was mine…but it isn't. Haha.

**Chapter 5: Suspicions**

"Daddy, you lied to me!" Umi nearly shouted into the earpiece of her Softbank cellphone as she walked out of the coffee shop. She was sure a few of her veins were popping out of her pale face right now, thanks to her recent and very unpleasant discovery. A few passersby stopped to look at her pretty and familiar countenance (she was a famous model, after all), and when the blue-haired girl they've been observing sent a menacing glare their way, they pretty much scampered away in the speed of a heartbeat. Umi transferred the cup of caramel macchiato she'd been holding from her right hand to her left, and clutched the gadget more tightly.

"You told me I'd have only one bodyguard who I must approve of and be aware of. You promised me, dad. So why, all of a sudden, do I encounter two of my "supposed" classmates, who obviously do not look around my age, pull a gun out of their hidden holsters when Kyo, an old friend of mine, decided to pull a thief stunt on me?!"

"What?" Her father's voice took on an anxious tone. "What in the world happened, honey?"

Umi grit her teeth. "Kyo was just joking around. He grabbed my shoulder bag and said 'don't move' just to see how I was going to react when suddenly Ryou-san and Minato-san jumped on him and put him into a headlock."

A hearty laugh was soon heard from the receiver. "Honey, I was merely looking out for you. I can't believe they failed to stay undercover, after all the instructions I've specifically given them."

"Dad, that is not an apology, and you know that. I'm annoyed. I'm vexed. I'm frustrated at you. All this time, I thought Ryou-san and Minato-san were stalkers…Following me around and pretending to be my fans. Did you know what I felt back then when I caught a glimpse of the Kevlar shirts they had underneath their uniforms and when they brought my friend Kyo to the ground? I nearly suffered a heart attack. I thought they belonged to the mafia or yakuza or something. And only after a few seconds did it dawn on me how you must have recruited them to be my bodyguards."

"Well, in the first place, why did this… Kyo have to act and play robber? That's pretty stupid of him, if you ask me."

"That isn't the point, dad! The point is you broke your word, and you have deceived me all this time by employing bodyguards and stationing them as my classmates. Who knows…Maybe my teachers are paid bodyguards too, after what I've seen today. Dad, you have got to set limits on this protection issue. This is just so ridiculous! We'll talk about this later when you come home for sure. And I'm telling mom." Umi threatened, and with those parting words, she pushed the End Call button, not giving her father a chance to defend himself.

She let out a deep sigh. She really didn't think she was that important as a public figure. Okay, so maybe she was a rich kid, and forever ran the risk of being held hostage by money-grubbing and power-hungry people. But she knew how to protect herself, and Clef was always there to make sure she was alright. They were literally partners-in-crime (though, Clef was too self-righteous to engage in that), and if there were occasions when they can't be together, Clef had this habit of always checking up on her. Sure enough, after she walked several meters away from the coffee shop, she spotted Clef waiting for her patiently by the fountain outside the mall. It was their point of rendezvous. She sighed again and made her way through the crowd to him.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Looks like someone had a bad day."

"You can say that. I just found out a few minutes ago that two of my classmates are in reality part of the defense force my dad set up for me."

"Really? That's interesting. They didn't jump around doing kung-fu and karate, did they?"

"It was worse. They did some moves I only ever saw in wrestling."

Clef couldn't help but laugh. He held out his hands to her in an offer to carry her things while she sipped the small amount of foamed milk of her macchiato. "You mean like a body slam? Who's the poor guy?"

"Kyo."

"I see. Isn't he that clown from the drama club? I feel sorry for him. I bet he can't even distinguish a kettle from a kata."

"And you probably won't believe me if I say my 'protectors' had on Kevlar vests beneath their uniforms. I think they had magnum bullets, too."

Clef let out an amused snort and walked a few steps ahead of her. "What? Not just shotgun shells? Your father really goes through such lengths sometimes. Well, in my opinion, if there really were bad guys ganging up on you, they ought to be more afraid of you than your father's recruited bodyguards."

"What!" Umi cried out indignantly, and she quickened her pace to catch up with Clef.

"_Hidoi_! What the hell is that supposed to mean? For your information, I don't exactly bring my saber with me all the time. Maybe just pepper spray."

"I was thinking more on the line of your temper. And the heels of your stilettos. Trust me, they're enough to pierce through synthetic body armors. Good substitute for a foil, épée, or saber, too. I bet their skulls won't even stand a chance."

"Haha, very funny." Umi muttered with a sour face. "At least my enemies know they're going to die in the most graceful way possible, unlike the savagery they teach you in kendo."

He stopped to face her. "Ah, but I thought you thought that my form was above reproach."

She raised her eyebrows and shot him an evil look. "God...You did not just say that. I can't believe you can say things like that with such a straight face!"

Clef grinned slightly. "I do that from time to time." And before his companion could open her mouth and make a smart comeback to his statement, he resumed his walking with a quickened pace and switched to a topic that he knew would appease her anger –shopping.

"Umi. I see the BVLGARI store. Didn't you want that small bag we saw last Saturday?"

True enough, the glass windows of a store bearing a steel emblem of BVLGARI came into sight. In a blink, Umi's cerulean eyes adopted a dreamy look. "Oh wow, I can't believe you were paying attention back then. Yes, I've wanted that jacquard pochette for days. At first, I was gunning for the LESPORTSAC tote bag, but I think it's a little too big for my taste. I'm buying that pochette today."

Clef scratched his head. Even after having been exposed to her girlish whims for years, he still hasn't gotten used to her terminology for every accessory known to womankind. His headache persisted for several hours the last time Umi succeeded in giving him a crash course on makeup. And that was all because he just accompanied her to the Shu Uemura store. "I really don't get it, your fascination for that plain looking bag. If you ask me, that sewn up piece of pink fabric isn't worth the 22,100 yen."

"Plain-looking?! Clef, for your information, that BVLGARI bag suits the purpose of being a convenient pochette for my little jaunts out of the house or the model agency. It's woven with high grade jacquard fabric, so it's robust enough for casual use. It's a combination of style and practicality. Besides, someone who buys people a Fendi wristwatch for a birthday gift has no right to say anything about my spending."

"Okay, that's it. If you have complaints about it, return my present."

"Alright, but I'm removing the white mother of pearl from the buckle-shaped case." Umi smiled sweetly.

"Fine, just give me back my 64,000 yen."

"Hey! You're not supposed to tell the price of a gift."

"Well, we WERE talking about goods and prices."

"Argh! You're hopeless. And this is what I get for letting you get away with that "You-know-you-just-love-my-form comment."

"Ah, so you noticed."

"Yeah, you're an expert in changing topics."

Clef couldn't help but smile. This is what he loved most about Umi –her wittiness. Although she is a bit dense in certain matters like relationships and the real deal between him and her, Umi is beauty, elegance, cleverness and talent combined. He was sure that he can count with his fingers the number of people able to see past her cool and unfriendly exterior. Her sweet and caring side is known only by the people who are really close to her. As he rounded a corner of a building, he broke his line of thought at the sight of his kendo captain. The tall captain was standing near the row of tulips and dandelions, and can be seen from outside the boutique glass window. "Hey, isn't that Lantis in the flower shop?"

Umi stopped and turned her head in search for the guy. "What? That's ridiculous. He doesn't exactly strike me as a flower-loving type of person."

"Who knows. Maybe that's his effeminate twin."

"Everybody knows Zagato-sensei is his only brother. And he looks and sounds so much like sensei, that Sol-san already counts as a twin." She looked up in contemplation. "Maybe he's courting somebody we don't know?"

Clef shook his head. "Uh-uh. The only people I ever see him hanging out with are Eagle, Geo, and some punk kid. I don't think any of the girls from his fan club has gotten into him."

"What? You mean he likes guys?" Umi said in a shocked tone. "I can't believe it. He never really struck me as gay, with all that testosterone lingering in the air around him."

"Hey, I never said anything about him not being straight."

"Now that I think about it, he's with Eagle most of the time. And he keeps on turning down Primera. Maybe really leans THAT way."

"Don't let him hear that. I'm sure reticent guys like him wouldn't take too lightly any insults on their masculinity or virility for that matter."

Umi laughed. "Do you rhyme on purpose?"

"I'm serious. Don't go around saying things that are merely products of your overactive imagination. It might cause a grapevine."

"Whatever you say… But I won't be able to look at both of them the same way again."

"That's it. I'm not bringing you to the school dojo ever."

-end of chapter 5-

To the readers: Hi! It would mean a lot to me if you could write a review on this fic. I mean, it's nice to know what areas I can improve on in my writing, and I'm open to all ideas.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Rayearth isn't mine. Huhu..As much as I want to own it..I'm just writing this to have a vent for my thoughts.

**Chapter 6: Start**

Inside the flower shop, Lantis looked forlornly at the splash of light colors and greenery around him. Although nature appreciation was his kind of thing, he wasn't really one to enter flower shops or boutiques. Heck, if truth be told, he hasn't even stepped into one or ever really properly courted a girl with chocolates or flowers all his life. The only reason he was here was because Eagle asked him to, for some unknown explanation.

Just as soon as he passed by the row of carnation and long-stemmed roses, the chimes hanging at the glass door of the shop sounded. Eagle, true to his word, had traversed the distance from the pastry shop to the flower boutique Lantis was in at the record time of ten minutes. The white polo shirt of his friend (who had obviously run with a speed rivaling that of their star track athlete) clung to his chest from perspiration.

"Lantis!" Eagle called out happily.

Lantis chose not to comment on his friend's worn-out appearance, and opted to put his hands in his pockets, instead. "Why did you call me out here? I've been staring at these plants for far too long."

Eagle walked up to him and turned to face him. "Knowing your expertise in the subject of flora and fauna, I thought you could lend me a hand in choosing the right kind of flower for a girl."

Lantis frowned. "You called me just for this? To help you choose flowers for a girl?"

Eagle laughed. "Yes."

"Whatever gave you the idea that I know something about flowers or courting?"

"Well, you were always taking naps in the garden of your residence, and nearly half your free time is spent on zoning out in the fountain or in greenhouses."

Lantis let out a sound that was close to a snort. "I see no logical connection."

Eagle patted his friend's back and laughed. "I know, I know. Stop being so uncooperative and help me out here, will yah? I'm not even sure if tulips would convey the same meaning as that of roses."

"I have no idea. Roses seem okay. It will spare you all this headache of knowing what these flowers stand for…"

Eagle scrunched his nose and gave him an uncertain look. "I don't know. Wouldn't it be too common if I just gave the usual red rose?"

"Well, red is certainly very mundane, but it gets your affection across directly. As long as you don't give a primrose or a white rose. Yellow, if I remember acutely, gives off a very non-romantic or we're-just-friends message. White, apparently, stands for simplicity and innocence. And I doubt your intentions are that noble." At this statement, Eagle reacted violently with a "Hey!" Lantis proceeded with his speech as if he hadn't heard anything. "Red is classic but very straightforward. Intimacy, love. It's as true as you can get. A long stem says something along the lines of "you're always in my thoughts". So it would be good if you gave one."

The reply he got from Eagle was amusement and a smug smile. "I knew it. I've given you less credit than you deserve. That's the longest speech I heard from you for a while. Obviously, even with your dark personality, your thoughts run along lines as trivial as romance!" And before Lantis could open his mouth to retort with his usual sarcasm, Eagle went on to talk about rose colors.

"I remember someone saying that since there is no rose naturally colored blue or black, they signify impossibility. No florist can grow them, unless they resort to synthetic pigments. I hate to entertain the idea that my affection is unrequited, so of course, black and blue are out of the question. Pink seems to convey the same message as red, but it takes on a childish or cute air. I guess I can give pink roses to her, since there's no denying that she's cute and all. But I think it's too girly and unsophisticated, for my taste at least. And it doesn't seem to send off the message that I'm serious with her."

At this earnest declaration, Lantis had to look up. For some reason, a sense of foreboding welled up in his chest. "Who exactly are you giving this to?"

Eagle lifted his right hand to his chin, and mumbled as if debating with himself in his mind. "Hmm…Should I tell or not?" After a few seconds, he smiled his signature grin. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt if I say it. If I told you who, would you tease me?" He laughed when he saw the eyebrows of his friend cross in annoyance.

"Quit fooling around. Between us two, the only one who does the teasing is you."

"Okay, but take a guess first."

Lantis sighed with slight exasperation. "With the great size of your social circle and with your notorious chick-boy reputation, it could take me years or decades just guessing what kind of girl has caught your fancy. Believe me when I say it's like pulling the short straw."

Eagle scratched his head, sighed, and walked to the counter to check the price list. The brunette shopkeeper waited patiently as Eagle skimmed through the laminated list. "How rude. You make it sound like this is just a flavor-of-the-month thing."

Lantis followed behind him and leaned on the counter. "Knowing you, it probably is. Don't lead girls on, making them think they have a serious chance at your affection, when you're just playing the field. Maybe, it boosts your ego, but it's deplorable to see the discouraged look in their eyes once they learn where they truly stand."

Eagle shot him a hostile look. "For the second time. How rude. I don't go out breaking the hearts of many girls as possible with the intention of feeding my self-esteem." At this statement, the shopkeeper looked at the two handsome men and listened to their conversation with growing interest.

"What was that issue with Aoi then? Or with Mizuki and Ayu?" Lantis challenged. "Giving out vague statements, and showering them with more than the customary load of your attention."

A hint of exasperation was evident in Eagle's reply. "Argument not valid. Man…I can't believe you're retaliating with things already past. Do I have to spell out for you that flirting is an art? These girls know the rules of the game as much as I do, and some of them are even better at it than I am. Besides, I never gave them any reason to believe that we had a chance of being a serious couple. I had never gone out on a date with them more than one or two times, or even courted them for that matter."

"Flirting…Going out not more than twice…I rest my case."

"What does it take to convince you?"

"It's just as I said. These girls cried because you gave off the wrong signal, deliberate or not. Giving them false hopes. Showering them with attention beyond the acceptable limit. You should be cautious when dealing with the feelings of people, most especially women. They're more sensitive than men."

"Says the ice block who cold-heartedly turns down nearly half of the female population in this school."

"At least, I never made them hope. I nipped the bud, right at the very start."

"Oh, that's helping things? Your reticence and outright rejection doesn't hurt them, when beyond reason they're attracted to you?"

"Yes," Lantis said in resolute tone, with his jaw hardened from the hostile atmosphere the conversation is taking. The shopkeeper chose to interrupt them at this moment, fearing the imminent exchange of blows in her shop. They looked close to scuffling. "Um, can I take your order now?" the brunette asked nervously.

Eagle broke off the staring match he had with his friend and reached for the wallet in his jeans. He took out a wad of bills. "Oh sorry." He said in a gentler voice. "I'd take a bouquet of a dozen roses, please. Long-stemmed and not yet in full bloom. I don't know how to choose what's fresh or not, so if it's okay, I trust you with the selection of the twelve, and I'd just check your pick right after." The shopkeeper nodded and swiftly headed towards the rows of vases full of red roses.

Eagle turned to face his friend again and saw the adamant look still pasted on Lantis' face. Eagle shook his head. "Man, this is why I hate arguing with you. We're both stubborn and hard-headed and insistent on getting our way. I'd say you're wrong, because like me, you've hurt the feelings of these girls by not even sending a glance their way or giving them the slightest bit of chance. Don't act so self-righteous. You can chide me for all I care, and it wouldn't change a single thing on how I relate with them. I, at least, am able to catch a glimpse of their character when I mingle with them and have a good gauge of the right approach. I never play this game with modest and sensible girls, just so you know. So let's not blow this out of proportion."

After a few seconds, Lantis said in a resigned voice. "Yes. Let's not." His friend leaned on the counter and stared off into space, not really looking into anything.

"Don't you want to know who I'm giving the bouquet to?"

"I'm guessing she's one of those modest and sensible girls?"

"Yes. On the contrary, a bit on the boyish side."

"Do I know her?"

"Yes."

"Someone in our social circle?"

"She's in our club."

The hands of the clock ticked loudly in the long silence that ensued. The answer was so obvious. Of course, there was nobody else, no other girl in the club than her. If Eagle's perkiness during parries and incomplete-turned-impeccable attendance in kendo were any indication, then you'd know he's totally smitten. Lantis looked outside the glass panes without a trace of emotion.

Eagle chose to break the stillness.

"You're quiet, Lantis. Was it really a surprise? Did you really have no inkling of who she was before I told you?"

"I had a feeling."

Eagle leaned his elbows on the counter, not really surprised. His friend wasn't stupid. He was well aware of that. They were equals in terms of mental prowess. But he had to ask. "…Is that why you were so heated up over this?"

Lantis pondered for a long while. "No. I just wanted to hear it from you. I thought maybe you're fooling around again, this time with someone we know very well. I hated to think you were just after the thrill of the chase."

Eagle glanced at him from the side of his eyes. "The thrill of the chase…That applies only if the one in pursuit looks forward to being triumphant in the end. And I can't say that. The truth is, it's not very promising. But that doesn't mean I should give up." Lantis looked at him with a questioning look, confused at his meaning.

"By any chance, do I have to fear the prospect of us being rivals?" Eagle asked out of the blue.

The hands of the clock ticked for half a revolution. Lantis looked down. "Whatever made you think that?"

And Eagle, for the first time, wished Lantis' ways weren't so subtle.

**-end-**

From the author: Weeh! Another chapter written and ended...I'm sorry it took so long for me to update this fic. I was busy with training. Hopefully, I get accepted..It is my dream hospital,after all. Anyway, to all readers of this fic..Onegai..Please write a** review** if you have time. I would greatly appreciate any help you could give.


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